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Description

Watermark:

Britannia. On sides of banknote are wavy lines.

Avers:

On left side is Britannia.

Britannia is an ancient term for Roman Britain and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain; however, by the 1st century BC Britannia came to be used for Great Britain specifically. In AD 43 the Roman Empire began its conquest of the island, establishing a province they called Britannia, which came to encompass the parts of the island south of Caledonia (roughly Scotland). The native Celtic inhabitants of the province are known as the Britons. In the II century, Roman Britannia came to be personified as a goddess, armed with a trident and shield and wearing a Corinthian helmet.

The Latin name Britannia long survived the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and yielded the name for the island in most European and various other languages, including the English Britain and the modern Welsh Prydain. After centuries of declining use, the Latin form was revived during the English Renaissance as a rhetorical evocation of a British national identity. Especially following the Acts of Union in 1707, which joined the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, the personification of the martial Britannia was used as an emblem of British imperial power and unity.

Denomination is on right side.

Revers:

On background are the acanthus leaves.

The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.

The decoration is made by analogy with the herbaceous plant of acanthus acanthus family, native to the Mediterranean. The shape of its leaves, with a few sharp edges, resembling a bear's paw, was the basis for the drawing.

Acanthus often represents life and immortality.

Denominations are on left and right sides.

Comments:

Designer: W.M. Keesey and others.

Mister Basil Gage Catterns.

Chief Cashier of the Bank of England between 1929 and 1934, Basil Gage Catterns was born on 20 June 1886. He entered banking in 1908 and fought in the 1st World War, sustaining severe leg injuries.

He entered the office of the Chief Cashier in 1920, became Assistant in 1923 and Deputy in 1925, before becoming Chief Cashier. In 1934 he was appointed an Executive Director, then rose to the position of Deputy Governor before retiring in 1945 and acting as a non-Executive until 1947.